Helmholtz Imaging Projects

Project overview image, summarizing the MemBrain-structure workflow from membrane segmentation and particle picking to subtomogram averaging.

Image: MemBrain-structure | info

Published on 26.06.2026

MemBrain-structure

An open-source AI pipeline automates cryo-ET data analysis, turning raw tilt-series into 3D membrane protein structures relevant for biology and medicine.

Photo of the seafloor showing sand, mussels, and starfish

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Published on 25.06.2026

BenthicAI

Underwater cameras, sonar and AI detect burrowing animals from seafloor traces, enabling non-invasive mapping of marine species and habitats to support ocean conservation

Comparison figure with three side-by-side grayscale image panels labeled “Conventional recon,” “Dual Recon Tracer 1,” and “Dual Recon Tracer 2.” Each panel contains circular shapes of varying size and intensity, illustrating differences in how the structures appear under the three reconstruction methods.

Image: HI Project MULTI-TRACE | info

Published on 18.06.2026

MULTI-TRACE

New open-source algorithms enable dual-tracer PET imaging, allowing two molecular processes to be studied simultaneously in a single scan.

Image of a compact structure displaying curved, multicolored bands in shades of blue, green, pink, and purple against a black background. A circular color scale and a 30-micrometer scale bar are shown.

Image: HI Project GROOVY | info

Published on 18.06.2026

GROOVY

A new table-top EUV reflection microscope enables lens-less, polarization-sensitive nanoscale imaging, revealing surfaces and magnetic structures with extreme resolution

Drone-based radar imaging and AI reconstruct 3D soil moisture underground, enabling improved monitoring of water resources and environmental processes.

Image: Moisture3D | info

Published on 15.06.2026

Moisture3D

Drone-based radar imaging and AI reconstruct 3D soil moisture underground, enabling improved monitoring of water resources and environmental processes.

Visual, Helmholtz Imaging Project POINTR, topic: Mapping Boreal Forest Change Using 3D Radar and Point Cloud Data

Image: Stefan Kruse | info

Published on 11.06.2025

POINTR

Global warming is reshaping northern boreal forests. This project maps forest structure and ecosystem services using high-resolution radar satellite monitoring combined with 3D imaging data.

This image shows simulation results comparing MWF mapping with single inversions of "T2-decay" data, "T2*-decay" data, and with joint inversion of both. The joint inversion is significantly closer to ground truth, as the second row shows.

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Published on 02.06.2025

JIMM2

Changes in brain myelin are linked to many neurological diseases. This project aims to improve myelin water imaging, enabling more accurate and accessible diagnostics.

Image: FOMIA | info

Published on 27.05.2025

FOMIA

This project will develop a foundation model trained on a large and diverse dataset of microscopy images to facilitate the adaptation of artificial intelligence methods to biological image analysis.

Visual for Helmholtz Imaging Project PlastoView

Image: PlastoView | info

Published on 27.05.2025

Water quality is essential for ecosystems and human health, yet it’s increasingly threatened by microplastics. This project develops image-based methods for detecting both plankton and microplastics using a new low-cost, mobile system.

Helmholtz Imaging Project cryoFocal, image for overview page

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Published on 19.05.2025

cryoFocal

This project explores how defocused images recorded with an electron microscope can be used to reconstruct the 3D structure of molecules inside cells. This method aims to enable faster and more cost-effective structural analysis of molecules to accelerate understanding of their functions and to design drugs against them.

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Published on 30.10.2024

Fast-EMI

A novel imaging approach combining electron microscopy and deep learning has been established. This method enables adaptive tracking of atomic defects, accelerating material development for the energy transition.

Visual to illustrate HI Project BrainShapes

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Published on 07.10.2024

BrainShapes

The project explores the 3D structure of the human brain by creating a digital ‘map’ of the brain and examining its unique genetic properties, potentially linking genetic variations to brain disorders.

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Published on 19.08.2024

CLARITY

Dose-escalated radiotherapy of lung cancers requires precise monitoring of lesions and nearby organs at risk. Current methods are able to track ultra-central lesions but neglect their deforming vicinity, risking unacceptable toxicity to aortico-pulmonary structures. AI-based anomaly detection and generative AI models can address both requirements in real-time.

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Published on 14.08.2024

3DforestSIF

3DforestSIF seeks to correct airborne solar-induced fluorescence (SIF) data from forests for canopy structural and illumination effects, providing valuable insights for the early detection of forest stress.

Image: X-BRAIN | info

Published on 14.08.2024

X-BRAIN

This project aims to develop AI methods that support the integration of multimodal imaging data into human brain atlases, thereby advancing the analysis of brain structure in both health and disease.